Wire rope center



Sept. 29, 1936. J. B. REBER WIRE ROPE CENTER Filed Feb. 18, 1935 Patented Sept. 29, 1936 UNITED STATES ROPE. CENTER James B. Reber, Auburn, N. Y., assignor to Columbian Rope Company-Auburn, N. Y.) a. corporation of New? York Application February 18, 1935, SerlalNo. M984 4 Claims. (Cl. 117-59) This invention relates to improvements in centers for wire ropes and particularly to the core around or upon which the several strain carrying wire strands of such a rope are laid.

5 Numerous efforts have heretofore been made to produce a center of this type, which will possess all the desired characteristics, 1. e., a center having strength, flexibility, durability, water resistant properties, and the capability of properly conforming. to the cross-sectional contour of the space occupied by it within a rope when initially incorporated therein under pressure, while subsequently retaining the cross-sectional shape thus imparted thereto, so as to afford a proper seat for the rope strands without being further compressed. Such prior efforts have resulted in the use of various long vegetable fibers and paper. In the present instance, the long vegetable fibers are used in combination with an adhesive, preferably possessing lubricating properties, but instead of placing a high degree of twist in the fibers such as is necessary to render the center stable, a lesser degree of twist is used and this, in conjunction with the binder, renders the center stable. All binders have a tendency to reduce the softness and flexibility of a mass of vegetable fibers and, if twist alone is relied upon for retaining the shape of the original center, the degree of twist required will result in a compact body of fibers that will not properly lend itself to conforming to the space in which it' is confined in the rope. Hence, by relying partially on'the twist of the fibers and partially on the binder, a lower degree of twist may be used whereby softness and flexibility is imparted to the center and, by the same token, a less quantity of binder is used, whereby that softness and flexibility is not detrimentally afiected.

With these and other objects in View, the invention consists in certain details of construction and combinations and arrangements of parts, all as will hereinafter be more fully describ'ed, and the novel features thereof particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

in the accompanying drawing I Figure l is a perspective view of a length of wire rope made up with the present center;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a length of the center with one end portion laid open to more fully illustrate the preferred construction of center;

1 Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a length of wire rope with portions of the wire strands removed to illustrate the eifect of compressing the center within the rope; and

Fig. 4 is a perspective view illustrating a modified form of center.

In the production of the present 'center, it is desired that the fibers be brought into association with each other so asto impart a certain 5 softness and flexibility to the mass or body constituting the center. For this reason, they are givenqonly a slight twist, as compared to the degree of twist which would be required to hold the center in shape. As illustrated in the vdraw- 10 ing, the fibers, in the form of one or more slivers, are twisted together. Where a plurality of slivers are used, one sliver indicated at In may be located centrally of the remaining or outer slivers ll. Preferably, the slivers are twisted to- 15 gether in the" condition in which they emerge from the preparation room of the ordinary rope factory, i. e., they are not spun and have practically no twist. The several slivers are brought together by running them into the usual former machine, this operation usually imparting the desired twist to them.

As before mentioned, the twist given the sliver or slivers is not sufficient to hold the center intact. For this reason, the fibers or slivers have incorporated therein an adhesive or binder, preferably of a type possessing lubricating properties. Latex compounds are one example and probably preferred, although other colloid rubber compounds or synthetic resins can be used with good results. One precaution to be taken is not to use such a quantity'of binder as will seriously detract from the softness and flexibility of the completed center. This is readily prevented in the present invention, because the twist given the fibers in the former aid to a certain extent in retaining the center intact, so that a reduced quantity of binder will sufiice, as compared to the quantity that would be required if no twist is given the fibers. In other words, the combined action of the twist and binder hold the center intact and by using a low degree of twist and a reduced quantity of binder, maximum stability is obtained without detracting from the softness, pliability and flexibility of the finished center.

The binder can be incorporated in one or more of the slivers by running themthrough a bath preliminary to passing them through the binder. Satisfactory results have been obtained by running the inner sliver through such bath, the binder being forced into the surrounding fibers or slivers by compression of center. Another arrangement is illustrated in Fig. 4, wherein elongated fibrous elements, such as yarns l2, impregnated with a suitable binder are run into the center in the laying on of the strands. original compression several slivers, the binder permeating the fibers surrounding such yarns.

It will beappreciate d that the disposition of the slivers in a center is not limited to the particular arrangement shown. As stated, one or more slivers can be brought together into a unit such as shown and if a still larger center is desired, a plurality of such units may be formed up into a center. It will also be appreciated that the degree of twist given the fibers and the quantities of binders used will vary somewhat, dependent on the type of fiber, some fibe s being softer than others. In each instance, the amount of twist and the quantity of binder is regulated to produce a center of suificient softness to permit the wire strands E3 of the rope to seat themselves around the same, deforming the center by producing spirally extending depressions l4 therein by reason of the compressive strains imposed upon the This of the center reduces the latter to a substantially incompressible mass, the cross sectional dimension of the center at that time being such as to prevent the strands in fiicting injury upon one another by undue contact with each other. At the same time, the increased flexibility of a center of the present construction and the lubricating value' of the binder insures lengthy service of the center and, consequently, of the rope. Where a latex compound is used, the fibers of the center are thoroughly water-proo fed, thus further assuring prolonged life for the center.-

What I claim is:

1. In a wire rope comprising a plurality -of twisted strands, a center member composedof a multiplicity of elongated unspun fibers extending longitudinally of the center with a low degree of twist whereby softness and flexibility is imparted to said center and a stabilizing agent incorporated in said center, the volume of stabilizing agent present being such that the softness and fiexibility of the finished center will permit the mass of fibers constituting the center to properly adapt itself to the cross sectional contour of the space enclosed by the wire strands of a rope and to the flexing of said rope, said center being reduced to a substantially incompressible mass within said rope.

2; In a wire rope comprising a plurality of twisted strands, a center member composed of a mass of elongated unspun vegetable fibers arranged longitudinally of the center with a low rope,

degree of twist whereby softness and flexibility are imparted to said center, and a lubricating agent incorporated with said fibers and possessing adhesive properties capable of retaining the unspun fibers in a substantially cylindrical body prior to incorporation of the center in a wire the quantity of said agent present in the center being sufficient to retain in said center a degree of softness and flexibility that will facilitate said center flexing with a wire rope in which it is incorporated and will permit said center to readily conform to the cross sectional contour of the space defined by the strands of a wire rope, said center being reduced to a substantially incompressible mass within said rope and said lubricant having ready access to said strands.

3. In a wire rope composed of a plurality of twistedstrands, a center member formed of a plurality of slivers of vegetable fibers extending spirally and longitudinally of the center, said fibers of themselves constituting an unstable mass due to lack of twist, and an adhesive incorporated in said center, said adhesive and the spiral disposition of the slivers conjointlyjrendering said center stable whereby the softness and flexibility imparted to the center by the low degree of twist is not materially reduced by the quantity of adhesive required to stabilize the center and whereby said center will readily conform to the cross sectional contour of the space defined by the strands of a wire rope, said center being reduced to a substantially incompressible mass within said rope but capable of fiexing with the strands of the rope.

4. In a .wire rope composed of a plurality of twisted'strands, a center member formed of a plurality of groups of elongated, unspun vegetable fibers twisted together to form a substantially cylindrical mass, the degree of twist alone being insuflicient to render said mass stable, and a waterresistant binder incorporated in said mass, said binder in conjunction with the twist of the fibers rendering said mass stable, whereby a minimum quantity of binder is required, the softness and flexibility of the mass due to the .lack of twist therein being retained to facilitate the cylindrical mass conforming to the space defined by the strands of a wire rope in which said center is incorporated and to facilitate said center flexing with the strandsof said rope, said center being reduced to a substantially incompressible mass .within said rope. 

